Using a wildcard in Drive Mapping

[Arthur Banks]

Sorry if this comes out long winded but here's my predicament.

I have 4 computers in one room for a 14 students to use but we don't
have a server so can't have roaming profiles.
So what I'd like to try and do in the meantime (until we can actually
get a server and make my life easier) is create a number of user
accounts on another computer in my office with shared folders for each
user.
Now what I want to do is to have the students computers log in using a
standard single user acount on each machine (instead of me creating 14
user accounts on all machines) and when say Student A logs into the
student account it asks him for a username and password, he enters the
correct details and it maps the drive to his shared folder. He logs out
and it disconnects it.
If he then goes to computer number 2 and logs in, it asks for a
username and password again, he enters his details and it brings up his
shared folder.

On the pseudo server I'm running Windows XP Pro and the client machines
are running the same.
I'm guessing to disconnect the shares I can have a policy on the
machines to net use s: /d when they log out.

Is it possible to have a log in script that would connect in someway to
the server and for the folder name to have a wildcard which gets
directed to the correct folder on entering the username and password.

Sorry if this is a ridiculous request but until the people with the
money get a server I can't think of any other way around it.
Hope someone can help.

 

[Guest]

I can program in a client-side language called Javascript, using HTML
Applications (.hta). I know enough about this programming language and the
windows registry to help you. If you want, I will donate my services free of
charge. What I can do is create a program that will start up on login, and
ask for a username and password. It could from there either access the
network address (doesn't have to be mapped to a drive) or display an FTP site
with a special folder or using the username/password provided, using a
folder-style with icons display for each. If you are interested, contact me
at jong70 (at) hotmail.com

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You can do this easily with a logon batch file. Here is how it's done:
- On each workstation you create the file netlogon.bat in the Startup
folder of the "All Users" profile folder. Place these three lines inside:
@echo off
net use /persistent:no
net use S: \\PseudoServer\%UserName%

- On the pseudoserver you create a share for each student.
Give it the same name as the student's logon account name.

That's about all!

 

[Guest]

In his post he said that he didn't want to go through the process of creating
14 different user accounts on all of the different computers. So to do this,
he would have to create a system that used some method of a seperate logon
after the initial Windows-based logon.

 

[Guest]

The batch file may work if there was more code put into it to grab the user's
name or password but also I could make it so that it has a Graphical User
Interface complete with text/password boxes, buttons and integrated folder
views...

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I got a bit confused with the OP's post but after reading it
three more times I realise that you're right. However, the OP
can still do it with a logon file although it won't be a GUI.

- On each workstation he creates the file netlogon.bat in the Startup
folder of the "All Users" profile folder with these lines inside:
@echo off
net use /persistent:no
set /p name=Please enter your logon account:
if "%name%"=="" goto :eof
net use S: \\PseudoServer\%Name%

- On the pseudoserver he does this for student JSmith:
* Create an account JSmith.
* Create a share called JSmith.
* Give JSmith full access rights to his share.
* Repeat the process for all other accounts.

Students log on under a common account. During the logon process
they are prompted for their personal account name. When the logon
process attempts to make a connection to their personal share then
they are prompted for their centrally stored password. It is securely
stored on the pseudoserver.

 

[Arthur Banks]

Thanks to both of you for your help,

It was much appreciated.
I finally got a script which done exactly as I needed which was
actually very very similar to Pegasus' script, little longer but same
result.

So thanks again to both of you.

Art